Bank of America Sells Out Gun & Ammo Purchasers as Potential Criminals

By Larry Keane

Bank iStock-1008926982
Bank of America, it turns out, is selling out their customers who bought guns or ammunition to federal authorities IMG iStock 1008926982

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Bank of America, it turns out, is selling out their customers who bought guns or ammunition to federal authorities as people who should be investigated for ties to the criminal acts witnessed on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.

Tucker Carlson, of Fox News, uncovered evidence that Bank of America is turning over the private transaction records of its customers to federal investigators it believes need to be probed for “extremism” or even domestic terrorism. The chilling move by the second-largest corporate bank in America with more than 60 million customers and $2.16 trillion in assets was this:

    1. Customers confirmed as transacting, either through bank account debit card or credit card purchases in Washington, D.C. between 1/5 and 1/6.
    2. Purchases made for Hotel/Airbnb RSVPs in DC, VA, and MD after 1/6.
    3. Any purchase of weapons or at a weapons-related merchant between 1/7 and their upcoming suspected stay in D.C. area around Inauguration Day.
    4. Airline related purchases since 1/6.

Did you notice No. 3? Bank of America is vocally antigun, but this is crossing into secret lists, big brother, sci-fi truth-is-stranger-than-fiction territory. The bank’s criteria included any purchase at gun store, but not just guns. If someone bought a t-shirt, baseball hat, or even a trigger lock, that flagged their account for “review.”

Who Told Who?

Carlson reported that Bank of America identified 211 people and turned that information over to investigators without notifying those customers their private financial transaction data was being shared without their consent. Federal authorities interviewed at least one person, and that individual was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Bank of America dodged Carlson when confronted with the allegations it was singling out customers who made a purchase at a gun store. They said, “We don’t comment on our communications with law enforcement. All banks have responsibilities under federal law to cooperate with law enforcement inquiries in full compliance with the law.”

However, “compliance with the law” here is questionable at best. Bank of America didn’t say that the FBI subpoenaed the information. They only said they “cooperated.” Carlson pointed out that banks are allowed under 12 U.S.C. 3403 to provide information that “may be relevant to a possible violation of any statute or regulation.”

In Bank of America’s estimation, visiting a gun store and buying any product, much less a firearm that is protected by the Second Amendment, is suspicious enough to put their customers on a secret watch list without their knowledge.

The New York Post interviewed New York City’s former top cop who blasted the decision to hand over private financial data.

“That’s just not a good reason to hand over private information. If that’s the way they do business now, then the people of this country really have something to worry about,” said Bernard Kerik, a security consultant who headed the NYPD in 2000 and 2001.

Another former law enforcement official called the move “a fishing expedition.”

In a follow-up, Fox News’ Mark Steyn interviewed former federal prosecutor Francey Hakes, who noted Bank of America’s response was peculiarly-absent of any mention of “search warrants, court orders or subpoenas…” Hakes noted that the Fourth Amendment protects against searches that aren’t “particularized” or when a judge signs off an order to search the records of a specific individual based on evidence.

“Financial information is highly private in this country and is given heightened protection,” she added.

Telegraphed Move

So far, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo haven’t responded if they’ve conducted similar internal search efforts of customer information. Yet, this follows an antigun animus by Bank of America. In 2018, Bank of America announced they would end financial relationships with manufacturers of modern sporting rifles, which they erroneously called “military-style rifle.” The move followed a similar announcement by Citigroup.

Delving into private transactions and using big banks to approve of purchases isn’t a new idea. In fact, this is the fulfillment of New York Times’ columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin’s call for such action and who proposed the notion in 2017 and 2018. It was later parroted by Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke as a potential gun control program.

It also shouldn’t be surprising that big banks with antigun agendas are emboldened to violate their customers’ privacy, turn them out and label them as “extremist” and “domestic terrorist.” The Biden administration yanked the publication of the “Fair Access” banking rule by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. That gave banks the green light to continue to openly discriminate against firearm business, which is just privatization with a wink-and-nod to continue the illegal Operation Choke Point that was begun under the Obama administration.

It is no longer the Bank of America. It is a gun control cabal working to undermine American freedoms, label gun owners as criminals, and use their customers’ money and information as the tools to get it done. Welcome to the Bank of Gun Control America.


About NRA-ILA:

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org

National Rifle Association Institute For Legislative Action (NRA-ILA)

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RedBloodedAmerican

F@#K Bank of America. I dumped those morons a long time ago. It is time the rest of the pro 2A people do the same. Will be dumping PayPal shortly as well. Their track record on gun type transactions is horrible. Time to speak with our money and business, since they won’t listen to anything else.

buzzsaw

We need Republicans who are non-compromising on the Second Amendment. We need the same kind of Democrats, too.

…shall not be infringed. It is a directive, not a bargaining position.

Terry

You know i continue to hear who not to do business with, but no one nor the NRA gives a list of the preferred banks that watch out for the gun owners.
they publish, during election years, the “A” thru “F” ratings on politicians but don’t believe i have ever seen one on banks. Would really like to see one of these lists on Ammoland and or from the NRA. I mean NRA must do their corporate banking with someone?

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

EVERYONE should close their Bank of America accounts. I did back when they announces some of their hair brained schemes in 2008. THEY need YOU. We don’t need CRAP from Bank of America. Let them see their trillions drop to NO THING. If you have your house financed with them, get it refinanced somewhere else. These communist backed companies need to pound sand.

A friend refinanced her BofA mortgage back in the mid 2000s to get away from them, due to poor service and general crumminess. She went with a mortgage broker, and got a much better loan, but BofA ended up buying her mortgage from the broker, so she wound up with them again. To avoid this, you would need to refinance with a bank that intends to hold on to your mortgage, and even then, it’s no guarantee. To a lender, a mortgage is an asset that can be bought or sold at any time. Of course, the terms of the… Read more »

Bozz

Had a B of A credit card back in the 90s. They kept raising the interest rate until it was the highest of any of all my other credit cards. I paid it off and closed the account. They are the worst of the bunch.

Tionico

That was about the same time they did me dirt with an account and credit card. They had gobbled up a smaller local bank and thus switched all my business to their own branded products. Had a thousand dollar line on the card, was running a fair bit of cash though the account. For no reason they ever explained to me, they took funds from the bank account and PAID OFF THE CREDIT CARD, without my knowledge or permission. Suddenly my working ccount (mortgate, car insurence, etc) was near zero with checks bouncing. I hopped on down to the bank’s… Read more »

Arny

Wish I had one of these cards. I would max it out on all the gun stuff I could buy, All the ammo a store had whether I could use it or not. Then not make a payment. Get a few million to do this. They may see their error.

Terry

No one stopping you from getting one.

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

I like that idea! Be sure they aren’t licensed to do business in your state and tell them to show you the contract you signed. LOL! It doesn’t exist!

Tionico

you would be more unethical and criminal than they are. Nice job. Whatever happened to ethics?

TStheDeplorable

No rational person banks with Bank of America, Citicorp, Wells Fargo, or Bank One, and that has been true for a long time. Dump these predatory banks who view your money and personal data as their assets.

Last edited 3 years ago by TStheDeplorable
Tionico

Get with a community based credit union that is a member of the “shared branching” network. You will be able to do business anywhere with nary a fee. Main difference? Credit unions are not for profit organisations, BofA and their pals are NOT. They are ONLY in it for the buck. Don’t give a rip about we peons out here feeding them. Credit unions are a different story. Involved in communities,they LISTEN to their MEMBERS, and respond. The nationwide metwork of no fee ATM’s are amazing. Just like having a branch office of your own bank wherever you go. AND… Read more »

Idaho Bob

Big government and big business are married, they are partners in crime.
What do you think the multi-billion dollar bailout in 2009 was for?
Do you really believe that swamp creatures cared about BOA?
No, the destroying of America has been underway for decades.

Cruiser

They have a lot of guts using “America” in their title.

Knute

Why in the world would any gun owner still be a customer of BofA? Vote with your dollars. Go elsewhere. Everybody should’ve already done so, long ago.

GomeznSA

Knute – agreed – I figured that out several years ago when they were part of the group blocking transactions from legit firearms related industries. I bailed to another financial outfit even though I had been with them for well over 30 years.

Ray

You can fix these credit card jerks very easily. Run up your balance on their card, then apply for debt consolidation and only pay about half of the balance due. Screw them, if enough people did this they would feel the pain.

DonP

That’s a great idea! Totally screw up your credit rating . That’ll show ‘em!

JDT

Lol, worried about credit rating… That’s how I protect myself from identity theft!

Tionico

what fairy have you been listening to of late? Dontchya know those robocall telemarketers telling you they can fix yuor debt are scammers not even as legal/legit as BofA/
Nope, Don’t bow to their level of corruption. Pay off your balance then close the account, and TELL THEM WHY.Along with your friends.

Cam

You do realize that when you close your account that it negatively affects your credit.

RJL

Well they have to be a watch dog for the Government after they were bailed out with taxpayers money in the last decade, remember 2008?
Now they become government informants. Corporate deep state,
Anti-Constitutionalist’s=Anti-Americans=Enemies of the United States of America.

UncAl

New “woke” name: “Bunch of A-holes”!

Riverwolf

Why close your account? Better would be a class action Lawsuit for all involved against them. Without an account you don’t have standing. Shut them down. I’m sure there is a money hungry law firm out there with the necessary skills that would take the case. This is the best remedy. The Government employees that obtained and used this information should be prosecuted. I’m so tired of our Government and big business not following the law. While I agree that those involved in the breach should be prosecuted, breaking the law to do so just makes the divide between sides… Read more »

Bozz

Better to close your account now and let them feel the pain now. If you had an account when they committed this atrocity, you can still get in on a class action.

Wes

When I worked for the DOD/USAF I had to have a BofA card. Most of the Government employee has to have their card. So why shouldn’t they not help the Government? They’re making millions off of tax payers.

Tionico

UNLESS BofA had some sort of court order or warrant from FEdGov consistent with our US COnstitutoin, they got NO bidniss ratting out anyone to the Feds or even local LE. Class action time for sure.

Bruce

The BofA (assholes) should change their name to Bank of Amerika.

nrringlee

And you are still doing business with these people because?

JDT

Traitors of America

Last edited 3 years ago by JDT
Get Out

BofA should be investigated if it was legal to share any of that information under Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999? If not a pro-gun group should go after them and let the courts punish them for their indiscretion.
FDIC: Your Rights to Financial Privacy

loveaduck

I quit using BofA years ago when they turned their backs on the “little guys” who got them going. That was the fishermen and others in San Francisco.

Diamond

I’m surprised at all the suggestions to defraud these banks. Isn’t that a crime? Is that really a good strategy? I think just taking your business elsewhere is more effective

USMC0351Grunt

Yet we STILL do not hear the oicry from the Apathetic Americans?